Knowledge, attitude, and practice of organ donation and transplantation among students of health sciences in a private college in Pune: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: For individuals with end-stage organ disease, organ transplantation is the most preferred therapeutic option. There is an insufficient supply of organs to meet the demand. Students in the health sciences are an important link in raising public awareness about organ donation (OD). Their attitudes and views have the potential to influence public opinion. The purpose of this research was to better understand the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding OD among health science students at the Symbiosis Institute of Health Sciences, Pune. Subjects and Methods: A web-based, cross-sectional institution-based study of students pursuing different health sciences courses was conducted. A specially designed questionnaire was used to survey the students. A total of 680 students were sent the Google questionnaire, out of which 219 participants responded, for a response rate of 32.20%. Results: Out of 219 respondents, 60.3% did not have any knowledge regarding the process of registering for OD. Moreover, 78.1% and 72.1% had no idea about the brain-dead donor ventilation support protocol or the law regarding OD in India, respectively. However, around 4/5th of the study participants were willing to sign a donor card, and only around 12% of participants have pledged or registered for OD. Conclusion: Students have a good attitude regarding OD; however, there is a dearth of understanding and practice on the subject. Improving their understanding by integrating the issue of OD into their curriculum may help close this gap.

Keywords

• health sciences
• knowledge
• organ donation
• transplantation